Kristen Miller didn’t think twice about getting the covid vaccine.

The intensive care unit registered nurse at Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison on Friday was among the first workers in Allegheny Health Network to get a shot of Pfizer’s vaccine against the virus that has killed more than 300,000 in the U.S.

“I didn’t hesitate. I’ve spoken with the physicians at the hospital. I trust them. Their recommendation is to get it,” said Miller, 30, whose family in Washington Township includes her 4-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. “I want a better world for my kids. I hope they don’t have to go through this a whole lot longer.”

Chris Smelley, the interim director for environmental services at Allegheny Valley, also got the vaccine Friday morning. He said the shot was quick and actually hurt less than the flu shot.

Smelley, of Martins Ferry, Ohio, called the vaccine “a beacon of hope.” People around him were smiling.

“We’ve been waiting for this all this time, and now it’s here,” he said. “I trust the professionals. I trust their opinion. The science shows it’s 95% effective. For me, that’s a pretty good rate.”

A pandemic milestone

Marking a milestone in the fight to end the pandemic, Allegheny Health Network received shipments of the Pfizer vaccine at all of its hospitals Thursday and almost immediately began vaccinating its front-line workers, spokesman Dan Laurent said.

While awaiting the vaccine’s approval, the network had been preparing for its arrival for weeks, including spending more than $250,000 on buying the freezers to store it, said Dr. Brian Parker, chief quality officer.

“As a result, all of our facilities were not only able to receive it, but are able to store it as we make our way through our front-line employees,” Parker said.

Parker said they were not aware of any adverse reactions.

Krista Bragg, chief operating officer at Allegheny Valley and Forbes Hospital in Monroeville, had not gotten a shot, deferring to the front-line workers.

“This has been the best couple of days we’ve had in health care for a long time,” she said.

Long line for vaccination

Bragg said a long line formed at Forbes when the chance to register for the vaccine started Thursday morning.

“A lot of the people waiting in line were physicians. The physicians were so excited to have the ability to do something about this covid crisis,” she said. “It’s such a great vibe that’s spreading throughout the hospitals. They’re now working with renewed energy and renewed hope and everyone is excited. It’s been very cool to be around that.”

The Pfizer vaccine is 95% effective, meaning that 95% of people who get it won’t develop symptoms from being exposed to the virus. Vaccinating its front-line employees will allow AHN to stabilize its workforce, Parker said.

“They live in the community. They’re in the community when they’re not at work. They’re not wearing their (personal protective equipment) when they are out in the community, and their risk is real,” he said. “So by stabilizing our workforce and making sure that they’re able to come to work — and hopefully not contract the virus as a result of vaccination — it means our hospitals will be able to stay open, treat covid patients and, importantly, non-covid patients as well.”

The vaccination is safe and it is critical for AHN to keep its workers safe, particularly now, said Dr. Donald Whiting, chief medical officer.

Keeping staff safe keeps public safe

“The people taking care of the covid patients on the front lines, we need to keep them safe, get them vaccinated, so they’re there to take care of rest of the patients coming in, and also keep the workforce going,” Whiting said. “That’s one of our limitations, is keeping the workforce to take care of people as they get exposed. The vaccine is critical for us to keep our business going. It’s also the critical path to getting the world back to where it was and the economy back to going where it is.”

Dr. Margaret Larkins-Pettigrew, chief clinical diversity and inclusion officer, appealed to the African-American community and communities of color to think about why they would or would not get a covid vaccination.

“We have 400 years of history of oppression in this country. We know that. We have embraced that and acknowledged that,” she said. “This is our tipping point. Covid-19 is killing, we see it every single day, killing many, many members of the African-American community.

”This is a historical event. This is one that we want to make sure we make part of our history.”

Larkins-Pettigrew said she and her husband were part of the Pfizer trial because they trust the science.

“We are part of the African-American community who lived through and know what has happened to us in this country,” she said. “This is the time that we can come together, all of us come together, and make sure we are part of this historical event.”

Claire Zangerle, chief nurse executive, saw the vaccines arrive on Thursday, and the first caregiver receive it.

“It’s been a really long nine-plus months for our caregivers on the front line, our nurses on the front line,” she said. “They have valiantly fought this pandemic and they continue to do so. They know that there is more to come yet they’re there every single day. It has taken an emotional and physical toll on them but they keep coming back every day.”

Don’t let your guard down now

Parker warned that now is not the time for people to get pandemic fatigue or let their guards down.

“Because the vaccines are starting to become available that doesn’t mean that everything that we’ve been doing and asking people to do up till now should stop,” he said. “Keeping inside your bubble this holiday season is going to be extremely important.”

The mitigation efforts put in place by the state until Jan. 4 are meant to give everyone the opportunity to get a break from the surge going on since the end of October, and break the cycle of day-over-day record cases and deaths, Parker said.

“What we’re asking folks to do is right now is to roll up yours sleeves and be diligent and work hard at doing the things we’re asking you to do so we don’t have a January like we had a November and early December,” he said.

“And then, when the vaccine is available to you, roll your sleeve up again and take the vaccine.”

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